Current Affairs MCQs [ 12 and 13 Nov 2017 ] PIB TheHindu IndianExpress & Other leading newspapers

Sumant Kumar, B.Tech NIT Allahabad sumant.magadh@gmail.com https://www.facebook.com/SumantKM/

UPSC Prelims 2017 Which one of the following was a very important seaport in the Kakatiya kingdom? a. Kakinada b. Motupalli c. Machilipatnam (Masulipatnam) d. Nelluru

Motupalli was the chief port of the Kakatiyas and this port was visited by the Venitian traveller, Marco Polo.

With reference to the Kakatiya dynasty, consider the following statements: o The Vijayanagara empire arose out of the ruins of the Kakatiya empire o The Koh-i-Noor Diamond, which is now among the jewels set in the British

Crown, was mined and first owned by the Kakatiya Dynasty o Vijayawada was their capital city

Which of the above statements is/are correct? a) 1 and 3 only b) 2 and 3 only c) 1 and 2 only d) 1, 2 and 3 Solution: c) The Kakatiya dynasty was a South Indian dynasty whose capital was Orugallu, now known as Warangal. • It was eventually conquered by the Delhi Sultanate. • The demise of Kakatiya dynasty resulted in confusion and anarchy under

alien rulers for sometime.

• Three new fledgling kingdoms arose out of the ruins of the Kakatiya empire namely the Reddy kingdom, Padma Nayaka Velama kingdom and the great Vijayanagara Empire.

Consider the following statements with respect Koh-I-Noor Diamond. 1. Koh-I-Noor diamond also known as Mountain of Light was originally found near Guntur region of Andhra Pradesh. 2. The diamond was handed over to British after second Anglo Sikh war in 1849. 3. Akbar the famous Mughal ruler studded Koh-I-Noor diamond to famous peacock throne. Select the correct answer using the codes given below a) 1 and 2 only b) 2 and 3 only c) 3 only d) 1, 2 and 3 only Solution (a)

• The Koh-i-Noor is a large, colourless diamond that was found near Guntur in Andhra Pradesh, possibly in the 13th century.

• It was first owned by the Kakatiya dynasty.

• Shah Jahan studded Koh-I-Noor diamond to his famous peacock throne.

• The stone changed hands several times between various feuding factions in South Asia over the next few hundred years, before ending up in the possession of Queen Victoria after the British conquest of the Punjab in 1849.

The National Testing Agency (NTA) will 1.Conduct entrance examinations for higher educational institutions which are currently being conducted by CBSE 2.Conduct entrance examinations online 3.Undertake hands-on training for some rural students Select the correct answer using the code given below: a) 1 and 2 only b) 3 only c) 1, 2 and 3 d) None of the above Solution: c.

The National Testing Agency (NTA) a. NTA will be chaired by an eminent

educationist appointed by MHRD. b. The CEO will be the Director

General to be appointed by the Government.

c. There will be a Board of Governors comprising members from user institutions.

a) 1 and 2 only b) 3 only c) 1, 2 and 3 d) None of the above Solution: c.

Cabinet approves Creation of National Testing Agency (NTA) to conduct entrance examinations for higher educational institutions • In view of the need to have a specialized body in India like the most advanced countries, the Finance Minister

in the Budget speech of 2017-18 had announced setting up of a National Testing Agency (NTA) as an autonomous and self-sustained premier testing organization to conduct all entrance examinations for higher educational institutions.

• The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has approved creation of National Testing Agency (NTA) as a Society registered under the Indian Societies Registration Act, 1860, and as an autonomous and self-sustained premier testing organization to conduct entrance examinations for higher educational institutions.

Features: · The NTA would initially conduct those entrance examinations which are currently being conducted by the CBSE. · Other examinations will be taken up gradually after NTA is fully geared up. · The entrance examinations will be conducted in online mode at least twice a year, thereby giving adequate opportunity to candidates to bring out their best. · In order to serve the requirements of the rural students, it would locate the centres at sub-district/district level and as far as possible would undertake hands-on training to the students.

Constitution: · NTA will be chaired by an eminent educationist appointed by MHRD. · The CEO will be the Director General to be appointed by the Government. · There will be a Board of Governors comprising members from user institutions. · The Director General will be assisted by 9 verticals headed by academicians/ experts.

Finances: NTA will be given a one-time grant of Rs.25 crore from the Government of India to start its operation in the first year. Thereafter, it will be financially self-sustainable.

Impact: Establishment of NTA will benefit about 40 lakh students appearing in various entrance examinations. It will relieve CBSE, AICTE and other agencies from responsibility of conducting these entrance examinations, and also bring in high reliability, standardized difficulty level for assessing the aptitude, intelligence and problem solving abilities of the students.

From <http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=173381>

The “Quad” grouping, in the context of maritime security in the Indian Ocean, consists of which of the following countries/groupings? a. ASEAN (Association of

Southeast Asian Nations) b. USA c. Japan d. IORA (Indian Ocean

Rim Association) Select the correct answer using the code given below: a) 1, 2 and 3 only b) 2 and 3 only c) 1 and 4 only

The 12th Edition of the East Asia Summit (EAS-2017) is hosted by which of the following country? a. Philippines b. India c. Vietnam d. Malaysia

The 12th edition of East Asia Summit (EAS) will be held in Angeles, Philippines on November 13–14, 2017. It is a unique Leaders-led forum of 18 countries of the Asia-Pacific region formed to further the objectives of regional peace, security and prosperity. • The membership of EAS consists of ten ASEAN Member

States (i.e. Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines and Vietnam), Australia, China, India, Japan,

d) 1, 2, 3 and 4 Solution: b. “the “Quad” grouping of U.S.-Japan-Australia-India." • While India is not a military

alliance partner, as the other three countries are.

New Zealand, Republic of Korea, Russian Federation and the USA.

Which of the following countries is NOT a member of the East Asia Summit (EAS)? a) India b) Japan c) Australia d) Mongolia Solution: d) The East Asia Summit (EAS) is a forum held annually by leaders of, initially, 16 countries in the East Asian, Southeast Asian and South Asian regions. • Membership expanded to 18 countries including the United

States and Russia at the Sixth EAS in 2011.

East Asia Summit (EAS) a. EAS meetings are held after

annual ASEAN leaders’ meetings.

b. The first summit was held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on 14 December 2005.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct? (a) 1 only (b) 2 only (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2 Ans C

Consider the following statements: a. Verses ascribed to him were

compiled after his death b. The Adi Granth Sahib

includes many of his compositions

c. Ramananda was his disciple Which of the statements given above is/are true about the poet-saint Kabir? a) 1 and 2 only b) 2 and 3 only c) 1 and 3 only d) 1, 2 and 3 Solution: a.

Verses ascribed to Kabir have been compiled in three distinct but overlapping traditions. • The Kabir

Bijak is preserved by the Kabirpanth (the path or sect of Kabir) in Varanasi and elsewhere in Uttar Pradesh;

• the Kabir Granthavali is associated with the Dadupanth in Rajasthan, and many of his compositions are found in the Adi Granth Sahib.

• All these manuscript compilations were made long after the death of Kabir.

• Some hagiographies suggest that he was initiated into bhakti by a guru, perhaps Ramananda.

Consider the following saints: 1. Kabir 2. Guru Nanak 3. Mirabai Who among the above used ideas and terms drawn from Islam, Vedantic traditions as well as yogic traditions in their poems? a) 1 only b) 1 and 2 only c) 1 and 3 only d) All of the Above Solution: a

Sant Kabir Awards are presented to recognize the efforts of: (a) Weavers (b) Safai Karamcharis (c) Poets (d) Persons promoting communal harmony Ans A Sant Kabir Award is an Indian Government award conferred to outstanding weavers who have made valuable contribution in keeping alive the handloom heritage.

• It was established for dedication in building up linkages between the past, present and future through dissemination of knowledge on traditional skills and designs by Ministry of Textiles, Government of India.

19th century India. Jhalkari Bai was associated with which one of the following events/developments? a) Abolition of sati b) The revolt of 1857 c) The great famine of 1876-78 d) Formation of the Indian National Congress Solution: b.

1857, Rani Laxmibai • It was in 1858, when Field Marshal Hugh Henry Rose

attacked Jhansi to put an end to the mutiny once and for all.

• She could have held on to the fort for long but she was betrayed by one of her own commanders, thus making defeat imminent.

• Counselled by her generals to escape immediately, Laxmibai quietly slipped away from Jhansi on horseback.

• Having borne an uncanny resemblance to Rani Laxmibai, Jhalkari Bai disguised herself as the queen and took command of the Jhansi army and walked right up to General Rose’s camp. Upon reaching, she loudly yelled that she wanted a meeting with the General himself. This plan was both to keep the enemy forces at bay and also give the queen more time to evade capture and get out of harm’s way.

Chennai recently has been included in UNESCO’s Creative Cities Network. What does this mean? a) Chennai has identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable development b) Chennai recognises the strength of inclusive development planning model involving the public and private sectors as well as civil society in transforming itself into a smart city c) Chennai has built a citizen-centric city administration that has enabled it to become a city which is constantly developing in a sustainable manner d) None of the above Solution: a.

The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) was created in 2004 to promote cooperation with and among cities that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development. Cities which currently make up this network work together towards a common objective: • placing creativity and cultural industries at the heart

of their development plans at the local level and

• cooperating actively at the international level.

The UNESCO Creative Cities Network is not only as a platform for reflection on the role of creativity as a lever for sustainable development but also as a breeding ground of action and innovation, notably for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

The Organic World Congress is held once every three years. It is organised by a) The International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements b) Food and Agriculture Organisation c) International Food Policy Research Institute in conjunction with World Food Programme, Food and Agriculture Organisation and World Health Organisation

India’s first Videsh Bhavan is located in: a. Delhi b. Mumbai c. Kochi d. Kolkata

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj inaugurated the country’s first Videsh Bhavan in the Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC), Mumbai. Videsh Bhavan • integrates all offices under MEA. • The Bhavan will house four major MEA offices:

1. Regional Passport Office, 2. Protector of Emigrants Office, 3. Branch Secretariat and 4. the Regional Office of Indian Council of Cultural Relations.

d) Ministry of Agriculture, India Solution: a. The Organic World Congress (OWC) is organized once every three years in a different country and this time it is being organised in India. The last edition of the Organic World Congress took place in Istanbul, Turkey, in 2014. The International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) and OAFI are organizing the event.

• The Bhavan will cater to the geographical area of Daman and Diu, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, apart from 12 Maharashtra districts.

• The Protection of Emigration Office will play a crucial role as 70% of the country’s emigration applications come from Mumbai alone.

Union government released special stamp on “Shri Gaya Prasad Katiyar”. He was a a) Celebrated Hindi poet b) Sanskrit scholar c) Freedom fighter d) Religious scholar Solution: c)

Gaya Prasad Katiyar was one of the most dedicated soldiers of India’s freedom struggle. • Gaya Prasad Katiyar was born at Jagadishpur.

• He joined Hindustan Socialist Republican Association in 1925 and got connected with Chandra Shekhar Azad and Bhagat Singh.

• Later he participated on Lahore Conspiracy Case and was arrested from Saharanpur in 1929.

• He joined the hunger strike at Lahore Jail with his co prisoners.

• Later he was transported to Cellular jail in Andaman and again he participated on hunger strike there.

• He was repatriated in 1937 but again arrested and transported to cellular jail from where he was released in 1946.

Global Wage Report 2016-17 was recently released by a) World Bank

With reference to the Vishaka Guidelines, consider the following statements:

b) IMF c) UNDP d) None of the above Solution: d) Global Wage Report 2016-17 was recently released by International Labour Organisation (ILO ) • India has among the worst levels of gender

wage disparity — men earning more than women in similar jobs — with the gap exceeding 30%

• In India, women formed 60% of the lowest paid wage labour, but only 15% of the highest wage-earners. This means not only are women poorly represented in the top bracket of wage-earners, the gender pay gap at the bottom is also very wide in India

o These guidelines are mainly related to domestic violence against women

o These guidelines were stipulated by the Supreme Court of India

Which of the above statements is/are correct? a) 1 only b) 2 only c) Both 1 and 2 d) Neither 1 nor 2 Solution: b) The Vishakha Guidelines were a set of procedural guidelines for use in India in cases of sexual harassment at workplace. • They were promulgated by the Supreme Court

in 1997 and were superseded in 2013 by The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013

SSL Certificate is a global standard security technology. Consider the following about it. How is it useful to ensure cyber security? a. An organization needs to install the SSL Certificate

onto its web server to initiate secure sessions with browsers

b. It encrypts the data that’s being transmitted between the web browser and server

Which of the above is/are correct? a) 1 only b) 2 only c) Both 1 and 2

Which among the following Indian States has the maximum total forest cover as a percentage of total area of the state? a) Arunachal Pradesh b) Chhattisgarh c) Madhya Pradesh d) Kerala Solution: a) Punjab has the least forest cover, whereas Mizoram has the highest. Other states/UTs with high forest cover are Arunachal Pradesh,

d) Neither 1 nor 2 Solution: c) SSL stands for Secure Sockets Layer, a global standard security technology that enables encrypted communication between a web browser and a web server.

Lakshadweep, A&N Islands, Nagaland and Meghalaya. Arunachal Pradesh has the highest area of dense forests, whereas Madhya Pradesh has the highest area of open forests.